1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to munitions employed for training and tactical purposes. More particularly, the present invention relates to small arms, mortar and canon caliber munitions comprising a heat mark or signature including optional IR or visible chemlucent chemicals that can be seen by thermal and/or night vision devices (NVD) used by the U.S. military and their allies either during flight as a projectile tracer or delivered to a target for marking.
2. Background of the Invention
In both military and non-military organizations, training and tactical exercises commonly employ standard ammunition items such as 40 mm, tank, artillery, and mortar munitions. Projectiles such as these commonly carry explosives, pyrotechnics, chemiluminescents, and florescent powders. Explosives are used to defeat or destroy targets. Pyrotechnics are used to light a battlefield or provide a trace of the projectile flight. Chemiluminescents (reference is made to U.S. Pat. No. 6,497,181) can be used to mark a target in low light conditions in visible and IR light without any flame source and little heat output. Chemiluminescents may also be used to provide a trace of the projectile flight, as also taught in said U.S. Pat. No. 6,497,181. Florescent powders are used to mark a target during the day to show target impact location. As further used in this specification, the term “chemlucent” or “chemilucent” shall refer to chemiluminescent chemicals, such as are referred to in said U.S. Pat. No. 6,497,181 and other examples as later described in this specification such as in paragraphs [Para 23], [Para 24], [Para 28], [Para 34]. [Para 39], and [Para 40]. The lower case “chemlucent” and “chemilucent” are generally preferred to be used in this specification in place of the upper case words “CHEMLUCENT” and “CHEMILUCENT”, and done further to avoid possible confusion to ChemLucent™ & ChemiLucent™, which are registered marks of CHEMICON International Company, Temecula, Calif. The latter deal with chemicals having peroxide solutions other than what are generally described in this specification.
Although this technology has proven to be useful, it would be desirable to present additional improvements. What is needed is a projectile that can mark a target with both heat and chemlucents or just heat. This marking may be visible during the day or night when viewed with thermal and/or night vision devices (NVD). The need for such a system has heretofore remained unsatisfied.